The efficacy of minute particles possessing ferromagnetic, paramagnetic or diamagnetic properties for the treatment of disease, particularly cancer, has been described by R. T. Gordon in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,106,488 and 4,303,636. As exemplified therein, ferric hydroxide and gallium citrate are used to form particles of a size of 1 micron or less and are introduced into cells in the area to be treated. All cells in the sample area are then subjected to a high frequency alternating electromagnetic field inductively heating the intracellular particles thus resulting in an increase in the intracellular temperature of the cells. Because the cancer cells accumulate the particles to a greater degree than the normal cells and further because of the higher ambient temperature of a cancer cell as compared to the normal cells; the temperature increase results in the death of the cancer cells but with little or no damage to normal cells in the treatment area. The particles are optionally used with specific cancer cell targeting materials (antibodies, radioisotopes and the like).
Ferromagnetic, paramagnetic and diamagnetic particles have also been shown to be of value for diagnostic purposes. The ability of said particles to act as sensitive temperature indicators has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,683. The particles may also be used to enhance noninvasive medical scanning procedures (NMR imaging).
As disclosed herein the particles of the subject invention are particularly useful in light of the references cited above.